Seoul, December 4 (IANS). The Korean word for ‘martial law’ was the most searched on Google in South Korea on Wednesday after President Yoon Suk Yeol announced ‘martial law’.
The term topped Google’s trend charts and its searches crossed the 2 million mark in the last 24 hours. This is more than a thousand percent more than the day before.
‘Currency exchange rate’ and ‘Kim Yong-hyun’ – the name of the South Korean defense minister – ranked second and third respectively on the trend chart, Yonhap news agency reported.
Let us tell you that President Yoon Suk-yeol had announced the imposition of martial law in the country on Tuesday night. However, on Wednesday morning he had to reverse his decision.
Meanwhile, opposition to President Yun Suk Yeol is increasing in South Korea. Civic and labor groups held candlelight vigils across the country on Wednesday to protest and demand Yoon’s resignation over his controversial martial law declaration.
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and other civic groups organized a massive candlelight vigil at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, according to Yonhap News Agency. About 2,000 people participated in the protest.
The protesters criticized President Yoon for declaring emergency martial law and demanded his immediate resignation.
In the southwestern city of Gwangju, about 1,000 people joined an anti-Yun candlelight vigil that started at 7 p.m. (local time). Similar gatherings will be held in Suncheon, Yeosu and other cities in South Jeolla province, its organizers said.
Meanwhile, opposition parties on Wednesday presented a motion to impeach Yoon. The main opposition Democratic Party along with five other smaller opposition parties, including the Rebuilding Korea Party and the Reform Party, introduced the motion at the Bill Office in the National Assembly at 2:43 pm (local time).
According to Yonhap news agency, the impeachment motion was signed by 190 opposition MPs and one independent MP. However, no MP from the ruling party has supported it, while People’s Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon opposed the imposition of martial law.
Opposition parties plan to present the proposal to the full session of Parliament on Thursday and vote on it on Friday or Saturday.
The country’s Defense Minister Kim Yong-Hyun apologized on Wednesday and offered to resign. “I have submitted my resignation to the President, taking responsibility for the turmoil caused by emergency martial law,” Kim said in a statement.
It is alleged that Kim had allegedly proposed to declare martial law. The demand for his resignation came not only from the opposition parties but also from the ruling party.
–IANS
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